Plenary session wednesday
Transcript of Plenary session wednesday
University of Cape Town
Library and Information Studies Centre
15th LIASA Annual Conference: libraries in dialogue for transformation and innovation, Cape Town International
Convention Centre, Cape Town, 8-11 October 2013
Bridging the theory-practice gap in LIS education: a UCT experiment
Jaya Raju & Gwenda Thomas
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Overview
• Introduction
• Purpose of the paper
• Methodological approach
• Conceptual framework: theory and practice in higher education
• Bridging the theory-practice gap in LIS education: UCT Libraries
• Bridging the theory-practice gap in LIS education: LIS School at UCT
• Lessons, the way forward and conclusion
3
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Introduction• Recurrent tension between theory and practice in
LIS – well documented (Chu 2010; Lynch 2008)
• “Inclusive” rather than a dichotomous conceptualisation of relationship between theory and practice is a “holistic necessity for professional development” (Stigmar 2010)
4
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Introduction• LIS graduates entering a world of work (higher
education) - transformed by “the revolution in scholarly communication”
• These changes have dramatically affected all aspects of academic library operations (Davis & Moran 2005)
• Do LIS schools “really understand the increasingly complex … academic libraries … in the digital environment…? (Barthhorpe 2012)
5
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Purpose of the paper• Universities globally restructuring themselves for
efficiency purposes in a highly competitive higher education environment (Raju 2013)
• UCT LIS School: organisational locus within the university libraries; academic home in the Humanities Faculty
• Paper uses a conceptual framework to mount a critical evaluation of the implementation of this model
6
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Methodological approach
• Evaluative approach• Evaluation as a research tool aims to assess the
“impact of social interventions” within a particular “social context” (Babbie 2013)
• ‘Evaluation indicators’ drawn from the experiences of Executive Director of UCT Libraries and the Head of the LIS School at UCT - qualitative element
7
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Theoretical framework: theory and practice in higher education
8
Theory and practice: from segregation to integration (Source: Stigmar 2010)
theory
practice
theory and practice
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Bridging the theory-practice
gap in LIS education: UCT Libraries
9
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
LIS education at UCT: past & present
• UCT School of Librarianship established in 1939• University Librarian was head of the Library and the
Library school until the mid-1970s• Senate decision to close the school in 2011• LIS education re-established in 2012 as the Library and
Information Studies Centre (LISC) with a three year window of opportunity
• LIS School located organisationally in the UCT Libraries & offers its qualifications through the Humanities Faculty
10
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Re-establishing the partnership
• The organisational model facilitated the way for a close relationship between academic project and practice
• Vision developed over two years to grow the next generation of librarians able to enter the workplace with a sound understanding of scholarly communication systems, associated specialisations and contemporary issues
• Resulted in some tough exchanges and debates to recognise and respect what was expected of both the Libraries and the LIS school – the social intervention and social context of the partnership
11
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
UCT Libraries & the Library School: challenges of a new social context
• Quality of the graduates needs to improve to meet the workplace requirements as determined by the practitioners
• The student cohort would need to grow over the next 3 years and attract a different calibre of student if the LIS school is to be sustainable
• Student, academic and practitioner research productivity would need to increase
• National imperative to produce the next generation of academic librarians
• Urgent need to address the theory-practice gap in LIS education
12
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Academic libraries are located in a new ‘social context’
• Academic Libraries are framed in & defined by all the cross-cutting influences of the knowledge economy & globalization;
• They have become “unhinged” from their traditional frame of reference based on functions (user services, acquisitions, cataloguing);
• Academic libraries find themselves between two missions:-an old traditional order focused on functions-a new transformational order shaped by
globalisation, the knowledge economy, user expectations and institutional priorities
13
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Towards a transformational mission for librarians
• R. David Lankes in “The Atlas of New Librarianship” (2011) advances that the new mission of librarians is:
“to improve society by facilitating knowledge creation in their user communities.”
• Shift from an old traditional order where library missions were function-based to a new mission shaped by 3 drivers of transformation:
- knowledge creation - people and skills - using knowledge & skills to improve society to the benefit of all communities
14
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
The “three pillars” of transformation are shaping the mission of academic libraries
• LIS schools to LIS departments
15
PILLARS CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS PILLAR 1: KNOWLEDGE & INNOVATIONFacilitate knowledge creation
ACADEMIC LIBRARIES Academic library as a “commons” within the user community where knowledge is produced/created
PILLAR 2: PEOPLE People & skills development
USER COMMUNITIES Foremost, libraries are communities of users, physical or virtual
ACADEMIC LIBRARIANSLibrarians as facilitator, liaison, connector & disseminator of universal body of knowledge
PILLAR 3: SOCIAL GOODImprove society
NATION & CITIZENSBody of Knowledge disseminated & used to bring benefit to all in society
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Scholarly communication system: core to the academic enterprise
• Scholarly communication is more than scholarly publishing• It is sustained by both formal and informal networks• Scholars develop ideas, exchange information, build and
mine data, cite and give credit, certify research, publish findings, disseminate results and preserve outputs
• It is a vast and changing system • Central to the academic enterprise and therefore, • Central to the work of academic librarians∼ACRL 2012∽
16
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Towards scholarly communication librarianship: a new social context
• Journal of scholarly communication & librarianship launched in 2012 • Recognises increasingly prominent role of librarians in shaping
future of scholarly communication• Scholarly communication librarianship is becoming a core service
area for academic librarians• Important that there is an institutional and intellectual home that
becomes the centre for policy, direction and procedure to bring stakeholders together – librarians, academics, technologists, publishers and research funders
• Scholarly communication librarianship is the “new librarianship” in a new social context
17
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies 18
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Through the transformation lens: a reality check
Transforming academic libraries in the global context
SA academic libraries in a context of cross-cutting influencesGlobal impact of new mission for academic libraries
National imperatives to transform South African society Institutional strategic priorities and outcomes
19
Higher Education within the context of a transforming South African society and economy
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Strategic priorities Critical success factors
Pillar 1: People & skills Produce next generation of academics for SA & the rest of the continent
• Graduate & train next generation of academics for SA, the continent & beyond• Grow number of academics with PG qualifications
Pillar 2: Knowledge creation Establish HEIs as leading, globally competitive, research-led institutions but with a competitive edge rooted in the African continent
• Strengthen research & make SA globally competitive•Grow the body of African knowledge• Grow faculty research productivity• Increase research oriented degrees• Grow research intensive teaching-learning• Successful student education & graduation
Pillar 3: Improving society Transformation in broader society to improve the quality of life for all communities across South Africa, & beyond
• Diverse & talented workforce within an inclusive & nurturing institution • Deliver on high level knowledge & skills requirements of marketplace• Graduates who are critical thinkers & leaders & confident users of information
HEIs Strategic outcomes: advancing transformation of South African society
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
UCT Libraries: the challenge of the new social context
• Transformational mission has placed Libraries & LISC at intersection of new librarianship and national imperatives for South African higher education
• LIS School required to frame its curricula to embrace and advance scholarly communication librarianship
• Libraries are confronted with the demands and complexities of technologies, digital environment and scholarly communication system
21
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Role of the educator in scholarly communication librarianship
• New graduates have to be equipped for jobs in academic libraries
• Educators need to understand the complexities of:• - technologies• - digital environment • - scholarly communication system• Curricula should include more content about IPR,
publishing, data management to produce graduates who offer relevant services, lead discussions and conduct useful research
22
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
UCT Libraries: the challenge of the transformational mission
• Advance research and scholarship by:- develop the research workforce- partnering & engaging with
researchers & scholars in the production, dissemination & presentation of knowledge
- provide support at all stages of the research cycle from idea generation to research process & publication
23
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Roles and skills required to advance research & scholarship
• Building new research information infrastructure • Optimising researcher access to resources • Developing digitisation strategy as integral part of
supporting unique and distinctive collections (large scale digitisation as well as physical preservation)
• Being a responsible steward of unique and local collections
• Playing an integral role in integrating special collections in curricula
24
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Roles and skills required to advance research & scholarship
• Investing in institutional repository development & open access hosting
• Developing digitisation strategy to sustain local and unique collections
• Providing leadership in research data management services• Providing leadership in metadata creation and
management • Develop specialist skills in financial management, statistics,
web design, spatial planning and project management
25
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Bridging the theory-practice gap: the LIS School at UCT
• 2012 - radical review of teaching and research programmes
• Firmly located within a strategic framework • Curriculum renewal informed by trends re-defining
the LIS sector • progamme enriched by dove-tailing
epistemological grounding with application input from specialist practitioners from UCT Libraries
26
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Bridging the theory-practice gap: the LIS School at UCT
• Seamless access to expertise from Library specialists without any budgetary implications for the School
• Positively influenced qualification outcomes and quality of entry-level graduates being produced
• Curriculum designers - a close-up view of knowledge, skills and competencies required of practising professionals in a digital age information environment
27
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Bridging the theory-practice gap: the LIS School at UCT
• School’s research too benefitted from its inclusive relationship with UCT Libraries
• Proximity of the School to a practising environment transformed by technology - has impacted on the School’s research agenda
• Steadily increasing registrations for research degrees focusing on new areas in scholarly communication in the digital environment
• Cohort and team research projects
28
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Bridging the theory-practice gap: the LIS School at UCT
• Champion to recognise the work and contribution of the LIS School
• Not just ‘a bed of roses’ - challenges• Two different worlds informed by different priorities
and with philosophical differences in our approaches• Respect for each other’s space, expertise and working
cultures• Inclusive working relationship between the two
domains
29
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Bridging the theory-practice gap: the LIS School at UCT
• LIS School - significant strides • Student registrations and throughput rates • Exceeded projections in the School’s business plan
on which its budget allocation is based• Robust marketing and branding• Attracting young graduates who have just
completed bachelor degrees• Budget and other support from UCT Libraries
30
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Lessons, the way forward and conclusion
• Inherent tension between LIS practitioners and educators/theory and practice - likely to continue
• But “LIS educators and practitioners working together can ensure that tomorrow’s professionals will be well prepared to enter the field” (Davis and Moran 2005)
• Evaluative accounts - drawn qualitatively from respective ‘head’ roles - does, despite inherent challenges, point to a positive trajectory
31
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Lessons, the way forward and conclusion
• Lesson from this unique experiment:theory and practice, in any professional discipline, are best
conceptualised ‘inclusively’ rather than ‘dichotomously’ • Whatever our prevailing ‘social contexts” in the
institutions we find ourselvesLIS educators and practitioners should make a tangible effort to
bridge the theory-practice divide• “Theory and practice vitally interact, and one renews the
other” – theory and practice are “tied inseparably to each other” (Boyer 1990)
32
A school of choice in Africa for Library and Information Studies
Thank you!Jaya Raju & Gwenda Thomas
Library and Information Studies Centre/UCT LibrariesUniversity of Cape Town
[email protected]/[email protected]
33